Not long after that, the actor Morris Chestnut turns up as a lawyer. “Hey, you look like Morris Chestnut!”, someone says. Which is very funny. Especially if you know who Morris Chestnut is. If you don’t, then That Awkward Moment is way smarter than you for about two minutes. But then for its other 90 or so minutes it isn’t, so it balances out in the end. For about half an hour, That Awkward Moment plays like a post-Apatow romantic comedy. People say things like, “Your so-and-so looks like an obscure pop culture reference”. Then the next half hour it tries to be a Zac Efron romantic comedy drama for people who normally wouldn’t go and see a Zac Efron romantic comedy drama. It shows people having sex that’s different to how people have sex in, say, The Lucky Ones. There’s not a slow motion rainfall in sight. And then, in the midst of that, That Awkward Moment seems like it’s ahead of its own curve. Two of our three rom-com stereotypes are talking about a Hollywood movie-style reconciliation. “You should definitely go do that! It’ll be like a movie!” Writer-director Tom Gormican’s script was nominated by very influential studio execs as one of their favourite unproduced screenplays. I haven’t read that original screenplay (originally titled Are We Officially Dating?), but perhaps it played up its own meta rom-com credentials a lot more. A romantic comedy for people who hate romantic comedies, maybe. Although 2009’s (500) Days Of Summer had already been there, done that. Maybe it’s the reason for That Awkward Moment coming out a little diluted. “Be smart like (500) Days, but with more convention please. Because conventional’s popular, right? That’s why it’s the convention.” So shortly after the film pokes a stick at the big climactic romantic gesture, Gormican can’t help but go there himself and wallow in it. Which is a dual edged sword. If you want us to buy these characters as more than just humdrum caricatures, you need to give them something real to say, and realistic scenarios in which to say them. Otherwise it’s just a really big tease. Like a film entitled That Awkward Moment that doesn’t have any real awkward moments to speak of. That Awkward Moment has moments that feel really genuine – a great post-date reaction by Efron that rings exactly true of how people actually talk in the real world – but they’re fleeting. Too often the film plays it safe and lazy (let’s eat ice cream when we’re upset; women love shoes). And I haven’t even mentioned Imogen Poots, a talented British actress playing bland, idealised love interest. Like so much here, you can’t help but feel her character deserves more attention, and less compromise. That Awkward Moment is out in UK cinemas on the 29th January. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
